The election results and the end of the most divisive campaign season in recent history has had an impact on our campus. Reactions range from hurt and anger to confusion about why some are affected so negatively. Counseling and Psychological Services advocates for a campus climate that is supportive of all studentsâ mental health and this electionâs focus on traditionally marginalized groups has exacerbated their lived experiences of racism, sexism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and other forms of oppression. Any form of oppression negatively impacts mental health and deters academic success.

Dean Sue Wasiolek, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students and

Dear Duke Parents,

Although most of you aren’t as old as I am, my hope is that you might remember or be familiar with John Denver, a songwriter and performer who tragically died in a plane crash in 1997. I used to listen to John Denver’s songs all the time and I recently came across a video of him reciting a poem entitled, “Ambulance Down in the Valley.” My attention went to one particular verse:

Better guide well the young than reclaim them when old,
For the voice of true wisdom is calling.
To rescue the fallen is good, but ’tis best
To prevent other people from falling….

Better put a strong fence ’round the top of the cliff
Than an ambulance down in the valley.

It is a pleasure to meet you! I am the new director for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), a unit on campus that supports your student on a path toward academic success. I am excited to be here given the commitment Duke has made to student wellness. Many institutions across the country are working to address mental health issues based on the fact that mental health is the number one factor in lowering retention and is a better predictor of college grade point average than ACT or SAT scores. The 97% four-year retention rate to graduation at Duke demonstrates that retention is not a significant issue on this campus; highlighting that Duke’s focus is supporting mental health services because student wellness is valued.

You might think the signs of exhaustion are obvious, but sleep deprivation isn’t as obvious as you might think it is. Its effects creep up on us. Here are a few common manifestations of this sleep deprivation monster.

You fidget a lot. And you don’t normally.
You might think this is a reflection of your energy that just can’t be contained. But it can actually be a symptom of chronic sleep loss. Your body is going into to hyper-drive. Can’t stop moving might mean you need to stop.

Many of you have been dealing with allergies all your life. Some of you are new to the South and the abundant variety of plant life. You may find your face melting and your sinuses in revolt.

Welcome to allergy season.

What causes allergies?

Unfortunately, you have no one to blame but yourself. Many different things (called “allergens”) can trigger allergies: pet dander, grass, trees, dust, mold. But there is nothing inherently evil about any of these things. It’s your immune system’s overreaction to them that causes all the problems. For allergy sufferers, the immune system unfortunately perceives these benign things in the environment as a serious threat and activates a whole bunch of defense mechanisms to combat them.

Midterms are alive and well. As students, we’ve all realized that the hard way, unfortunately. In an act of solidarity, I’m gonna share some wisdom from Jean Hanson and Jo Supernaw at the Wellness center. With these myths busted you’ll, in my opinion, be able to kick midterm’s a** better. (Hint: It involves more sleep.)

Myth #1: The effects of my all-nighter only impacts me.

You may be the only one who gets to sport the Dukie-meets-phantom-menace look, but your worsened mood? Lack of focus? Degree of inefficiency? You can’t be as productive a teammate, as present a friend, nor as pleasant an acquaintance.

All-nighters don’t make you cool or more impressive. They make you tired.

Could you spend 1 minute looking directly into a friend's eyes without speaking.
Students attempt the effort at the Wellness Wednesday tent by DUWell.

Day in and day out, we rely heavily on communication for making connections and reaching goals, but often we encounter struggle, instances of miscommunication, particularly during difficult conversations. Miscommunication happens for many reasons:

One of the most common complaints we here from students is ânot getting enough sleepâ. With class work, student org. meetings, roommates, etc., students at Duke struggle to find ways to make sure they get a solid nightâs sleep. The Health and Wellness units (DUWELL, Student Health and Nutrition Services, CAPS, DukeReach and Recreation) have heard you loud and clear. So, we came out on campus to find out more and provide resources to help you all get the rest and relaxation youâve been asking for.

Student Affairs will be arranging transportation to the funeral and memorial services of Alexander Rickabaugh. We hope to accommodate all students who would like to attend these services via chartered bus. In order to meet transportation demands please complete the following questions to reserve a spot:https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_dhBDLU8uCZJY9KJ

We are working out options for food on the bus for the way out and back, but if you have specific dietary needs, please bring food with you.

Services will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Details below.

Friday, September 26th:The funeral service will be held at Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem (646 W. 5th St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101). The family will receive friends following the service.